Was Margaret Thatcher a conservative? Thatcherism and society

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a long-lasting political debate on Thatcher’s ideological affiliations. Was Thatcherism more connected to conservative or old (neo)liberal ideas? While some commentators have highlighted Thatcher’s individualism, free-market ideas and radicalism as proof that her ideology was undoubtedly neoliberal, others have emphasized her moral and authoritarian views as typically conservative. The present article analyses Thatcherite views on human nature, civil society institutions and tradition, as well as radical Thatcherite approaches to traditional British institutions. Through a qualitative approach that focuses on Thatcher’s speeches and interviews but which also pays attention to the material produced by her allies, and governmental plans and policies, the article concludes that while Thatcherism resonated with new and old conservative arguments on these issues and held a broad conservative worldview, it also followed a rare but not unconservative radical approach to what its proponents believed were ‘corrupted’ institutions.